A N E W D A W N: Book One: The Journey
by MysteryWriter000
Summary: Lilyfall thought her life in ThunderClan was easy. That is, until the fire. The fire that destroyed the Clans. The fire that caused the chaos. The fire that started a New Dawn for thirteen surviving cats. Little does she know, things are about to get a lot harder. Can she do it? Or will she crumble under the weight of her destiny?


**A New Dawn: Book One: The Journey**

**A/N: Ok, so this is a new story that I'm trying because I'm quite interested in the "Make a New Clan" idea. The prologue probably isn't that good...I'm better at writing chapters. This is just to set the stage for what's about to happen and how StarClan is reacting. I hope you like it. :D Reviews are appreciated!**

**Summary: Lilyfall thought her life in ThunderClan was easy. That is, until the fire. The fire that destroyed the Clans. The fire that caused the chaos. The fire that started a New Dawn for thirteen surviving cats. Little does she know, things are about to get a lot harder.**

* * *

_** Prologue:**_

Deep in the trees, silence gripped the air. There was no light besides a trickle of moonlight filtering through the trees onto the forest floor. A blue-gray she-cat stepped out and leaped down from rock to rock until she was looking down into a shimmering pool, the stars turning her pelt to silver. The stars shone in the water too, swirling around and moving with great speed. The blue-gray she-cat's gaze was clouded as if she was looked at something in the distance that no one else could see. Her eyes broke off and the cat turned her chin upwards. "Let this meeting of StarClan come to order!" she yowled.

As if on cue, many other cats filled out of the trees and down on the rocks one by one. They, like the she-cat, were staring intently at the swirling pool of stars. Their star-intertwined fur stood on end. "Why have you called us here?" one yelled out. The cat stepped forward from the group, revealing a sleek dark gray tom.

The blue-gray she-cat narrowed her eyes at the dark gray tom and began to speak. "A great danger is coming to the lake, one that the cats – not even in the forest – have ever seen before. The warriors will need our help if they are to even have a chance of surviving."

The dark gray tom opened his mouth to protest, but stopped before a sound could come out. His blue gaze fell to his paws, the blaze in his eyes extinguished. "You're right," he admitted reluctantly, "I have seen this also."

A murmur of uneasiness arose from the herd of cats. The vision had appeared to them to.

"But how can we help?" another piped up. "If this is something we have never seen before. The Great Journey was tough enough, and now you're saying that there is something _worse? _We could barely help then, so I don't think we can do much now!"

They all paused, knowing what the cat said might have some truth to it. Perhaps they could not help, and they would have to leave the Clans up to there own. A stiff silence haunted the air as the cats seriously considered it.

"Don't be ridiculous!" a brown she-cat mewed, pushing herself to the front. "Think of what you're saying! When we were still alive, we counted on StarClan for almost everything! Now you're telling me that we're just going to sit here while the Clans are in dire need of our help? I lived and died fighting for my Clan, and I'm not about to give up now!"

Relief swept through the waves of cats. They could not abandon their Clans.

"And so it has been done," the blue-gray she-cat meowed. "We will chose one from each Clan to guide and protect." She hesitated and looked back into the puddle. "They are our only hope." Tension hung in the air, as if the StarClan were just now realizing the weight that rested on there choices.

"I will speak for WindClan," came a feminine voice.

"And I for ShadowClan."

"And I for RiverClan."

"...Then I will speak for ThunderClan."

Four cats slinked down towards the blue-gray she-cat. One was a thin, wiry brown she-cat. The other was a silver tom with long thick fur, and the next was a she-cat black as the night. The last, speaking for ThunderClan, was a massive ginger tom with huge white paws. Upon sight, the she-cat bowed her head with respect and backed away. "Wind, River, Shadow, and Thunder. We have waited your pending arrival."

"Well, we're here now!" snapped the night colored she-cat. She sat down on a stone sticking out of the water with her tail wrapped around her paws. "We may be old cats and far off from this generation but that doesn't mean you perky cats get to have all the fun!"

"Young cats," muttered River under his breath.

Thunder said nothing, but stared around at the other three cats who stood proudly on their stones. "Wind?" he boomed, "you spoke first. Would you like to go?" He flicked his ear towards the pool.

Wind nodded. "I will see to it that WindClan survives...if no one else." She padded up to the pool and closed her eyes. The water began to churn and swirl, forming into a picture in the depths of the water. The face of a dark brown tabby surfaced. It stood proudly with it's head help high, a bitter wind ruffling her pelt. Then, the cats blinked and the image disappeared as soon as it had come.

"Does StarClan approve?" she called.

The cats nodded slowly, no challenges were put forth. Wind stepped back, taking her place among the others.

Next, River stepped down and peered into the pool. "May StarClan approve..." he murmured. For a second, the cats thought there was nothing in the water but darkness. Then, they realized that there was a cat in the water. It's pelt was like Shadow's, dark as night. It crouched prowling along in the shadows of bracken. It turned towards the cats, amber eyes flashing before the vision stopped. River turned toward StarClan with a questioning look, waiting patiently for there answer.

This time there was hesitation. Eventually, they murmured something like agreement, but River could see them casting uneasy glances at each other. A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat, but he turned and went back.

Thunder started towards the water, but Shadow cut in front of him. "_I _will make my choice first."

The large orange tom's fur bristled, but he let it lay flat as Shadow made her decision.

Shadow smirked, as if she knew something the rest didn't. The black she-cat craned her neck to look and the next picture appeared. This time it was of a muscular dark ginger tom with white paws. His thick fur grew around his neck like a mane. A couple of eyebrows raised suspiciously, but Shadow stepped in the puddle as ripples eradicated the tom before they could see.

"Thunder," she acknowledged cooly with the dip of head as she passed.

"Shadow," Thunder growled. With his massive paws, the tom leapt to a rock and glanced at the pool. A silver tabby she-cat came slinking out of a bramble den, pink tongue curled in a yawn.

"That one?" someone shouted. "You can't be serious! She has only just gotten an apprentice. The warrior is too young!"

Thunder shot a glare back at the one who spoke up. "She is a fine warrior, even if she hasn't been one for long. A kind heart, too. I foresee that she will do well." An indignant snort echoed from the crowd, but no more protests were made.

"The choices have been made," announced the blue-gray she-cat as she went to stand besides Thunder. Her gaze clouded with worry. Had they made the right decision? Images of another fire flashed through her mind. Smoke...wails and screams of cats as they were burned alive...a black and white pelt laying motionless on the ground. She shook herself and turned her eyes to the cats. The guilt she felt would not affect her now. "We all know what we must do," she said. "But after that, it's up to them. Others will accompany them for support."

Murmurs swept through the crowd.

"Will it be enough?" a daring voice challenged.

Bluestar paused. "We've done all we can, so I hope it will."

_"I hope it will."_

* * *

**Quite a haunting way to end it, don't you agree? Though it might just be me...**

**Anyways, RandR! Chapter 1 will be up later today! But until then...Over and Out!**

**~Mystery**


End file.
